Climate-Adaptive Passive Design Strategies for Near-Zero-Energy Office Buildings in Central and Southern Anhui, China

Jun Xu, Yu Gao and Lizhong Yang ()
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Jun Xu: State Key Laboratory of Fire Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230601, China
Yu Gao: School of Architectural and Art, Hefei City College, Hefei 238076, China
Lizhong Yang: State Key Laboratory of Fire Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230601, China

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 14, 1-29

Abstract: Driven by the global energy transition and China’s dual-carbon targets, Passive ultra-low-energy buildings are a key route for carbon reduction in the construction sector. This study addresses the high energy demand of office buildings and the limited suitability of current efficiency codes in the hot-summer/cold-winter, high-humidity zone of central and southern Anhui. Using multi-year climate records and energy-use surveys from five cities and one scenic area (2013–2024), we systematically investigate climate-adaptive passive-design strategies. Climate-Consultant simulations identify composite envelopes, external shading, and natural ventilation as the three most effective measures. Empirical evidence confirms that optimized envelope thermal properties significantly curb heating and cooling loads; a Huangshan office-building case validates the performance of the proposed passive measures, while analysis of a near-zero-energy demonstration project in Chuzhou yields a coordinated insulation-and-heat-rejection scheme. The results demonstrate that region-specific passive design can provide a comprehensive technical framework for ultra-low-energy buildings in transitional climates and thereby supporting China’s carbon-neutrality targets.

Keywords: passive office buildings; climate-adaptive design; thermal performance; central and southern Anhui; building envelope optimization; nearly zero-energy buildings (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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